Do you want to add a virtual background to your Zoom calls? First you'll need to check your tech requirements. The link to Zoom's Hardware Specifications (on the side) will help you check your hardware and software specifications to make sure you can use virtual backgrounds on Zoom.
As long as you meet all the tech requirements, finding, editing, and using virtual backgrounds is easy! This guide will show you how to find images to use as-is, and how to do some basic to intermediate editing. Do you want to make an animated background from a still image or a video? Make an appointment with a member of the Studio team using the link on the side!
Zoom does not have any minimum requirements for a virtual background image, but here are some suggestions:
Before you can start using a virtual background, you need to enable virtual backgrounds in your Zoom account.
If you already have Zoom downloaded to your computer, you can also log in through the Zoom desktop client:
Upload images in your Zoom desktop client to start using a virtual background.
These basic editing tools can help you get your image ready to be a Zoom background. If you're brand new to Photoshop, these can be a good way to explore Photoshop and get comfortable before you start doing some more intermediate editing.
If your image is too big, you can easily resize it in Photoshop:
You can also make a smaller image larger using the same steps, but keep in mind that making a smaller image larger can make it look blurry or pixelated.
For the best Zoom background results, your image should be in landscape orientation. If your image is oriented vertically or square, or if you want to only use part of the image, you can crop it.
When you’re done editing your image, you’ll need to save it. You can save your image as a Photoshop document so that you can come back and edit it later, but you’ll need to save it as an image file to use it as your Zoom background.
To save your Photoshop project, open the File menu and click Save. Give your project and a name and choose where to save it, then click save.
To save your project as an image file that you can use with Zoom:
Now you can upload your image as your Zoom background.
This section will cover using more than one layer in Photoshop and how to mask a layer for your Zoom background. The main tools you will need to use are the Brush tool or Lasso tool.
With your main background image file already open, you can include another image in Photoshop:
Holding Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) will change scaling to be centered.
After selecting the layer you want to apply a mask to, you will need to click on the Add Mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel.
The layer that has the mask applied to it will have a link symbol and a new thumbnail. With the mask selected, you can use grayscale, black, or white to edit the image such as removing the surrounding background from the current layer.
You can make more precise selections with the Lasso tool. After outlining the main section, select the negative space and fill it with black the Bucket tool.
Edges on the masked layer may look jagged. To edit this, go to Feathering and make adjustments as necessary.
To add a background image in Zoom, you need to make sure that your device meets the hardware requirements for a background image. You will also need to make sure you're running an up-to-date version of Zoom. In order to both use and see virtual backgrounds, you need to be using at least version 5.1.1 of Zoom.
For the best possible virtual background sit in front of a blank, solid-colored wall. You don't need a green screen, but if the area behind you is very busy you may have problems getting the virtual background to display the way you want it to. You should also try to avoid wearing a shirt that is the same color as your background.
Photoshop (and other Adobe products) are available on Studio computers. If you aren't able to come to the Studio, there are other tools you can use to make your own virtual backgrounds.
You'll need a large (1920x1080 pixels) and high quality image to make it your Zoom background. Stock photo websites are a great way to find large, high quality, and free images. You can use the images as-is, or you can edit them in Photoshop to make them your own. Try using these sites to find images or videos.
Here are some other places where you can find ready-to-use Zoom backgrounds.